The cause of most leg pain, especially in children, is improper weight balance from the upper part of the body. In the child, abnormal spinal curvatures during their growing years can cause an uneven distribution of weight on the lower extremities.

If you lean forward, backward or to one side in the standing position, it will cause the involuntary muscles in the legs to contract and tighten to maintain balance. Prolonged contraction of these muscles will cause leg pains.

Another example of this uneven weight distribution is seen in the advanced stages of pregnancy with the increased weight in the abdomen which causes lower back muscles to contract resulting in back pain in addition to leg pain. These same symptoms can also be caused by abdominal obesity.

Because most of the weight of the upper body is supported and suspended from the spinal column, it is important to have spinal adjustments to restore normal balance with equal weight distribution to the legs.

Sciatic leg pain is an inflammation of the sciatic nerve which runs down the back of the leg. The sciatic nerve has its origin as branches of the spinal nerves where they emit from in between the vertebrae of the lower back. The sciatic nerve is often irritated and becomes inflamed when the lower lumbar spine becomes misaligned due to falls, blows, sprains and strains.

In addition to leg pains, pressure on nerves in the lower back can also cause numbness, weakness, muscle cramps, etc. Because the nerves in the lower back also supply the bowels, kidneys, bladder and reproductive organs, pressure on these nerves can result in constipation, diarrhea, frequent urination, water retention, bed wetting, menstrual and prostate problems, etc.

Doesn't it make sense that if an individual is suffering with leg pain, there must be a "cause?" Instead of taking drugs for "temporary relief," why not search out the source of the nerve irritation and remove it?

Restoring the normal flow of nerve energy from the brain down through the spine to the legs, without drugs or surgery, is the chiropractic approach to eliminating leg pain.

If you or someone your know is suffering with leg pains, please let us help you to overcome this nagging problem through gentle, safe chiropractic care.